Banana Nutella Granola

Ingredients:
3 and 3/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup ground flax
1 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup mashed banana (1 very large banana)
1/4 cup Nutella
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup banana chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, flax, almonds, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the mashed banana, Nutella, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt together. Allow to bubble for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour over the dry ingredients. Stir it all together until all of the oats are moistened.

Spread the oats on the baking sheet in a thin even layer. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and stir. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. 

Top the granola with chocolate chips and banana chips. Gently stir. The chocolate will melt, creating larger chunks of granola.

Allow granola to cool completely; it will harden and crunch up as it is exposed to air. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Black and White Banana Loaf (with Lemon and Cognac)

Ingredients: 

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1½ ripe bananas, peeled
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
Grated zest of ½ a lemon
1 tbs cognac or dark rum
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and loaf pan and dust the inside with flour. 

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mash the bananas with the lemon juice and zest, then stir in the rum. Set aside. 

Melt the chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the butter together in a double boiler. Set aside. 

In a stand mixer, beat the remaining butter at medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, until light and smooth.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the flour mixture, then milk, then other half of flour mixture. Mix in banana mixture.

Pour a little less than half the batter into the bowl with the melted chocolate and stir to blend. Drop alternating spoonfuls of both batters into the prepared pan, then, using a table knife, swirl the batters together, taking care not to overdo it.

 Bake for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack right side up and let cool completely.